Supporting STEM Academic Advising for Undergraduate Student Achievement

According to the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology, the United States is not producing enough graduates in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) fields to match the forecasted demand for STEM professionals. While the number of students who enter college as STEM majors has increased, retention in these majors continues to be problematic. Nationally, fewer than 40% of students who initially matriculate in STEM actually earn their degree in a STEM field. Research on STEM persistence and outcomes have overlooked the role of the academic advisor in shaping key learning outcomes, such as motivation and academic achievement. Professional academic advisors, possessing distinct advising styles, exert enormous influence on student academic and career pathways. Yet, research on how the advisor-advisee relationship can shape student success in STEM is severely lacking. The proposed Level 1 Engaged Student Learning study—Supporting STEM Academic Advising for Undergraduate Student Achievement—offers a fresh new lens for understanding the motivational beliefs known as implicit theories. Individuals who possess an entity theory believe that attributes such as academic ability or personal interests are fixed and cannot change (fixed mindset), while individuals who possess an incremental theory believe that these attributes can develop through effort (growth mindset). Consider the following questions: Do advisors believe that students have the capacity to grow their academic abilities, or do advisors believe that abilities are largely fixed? Do advisors believe that students can develop different interests, or do advisors believe that individuals have a core interest that cannot change? The project’s central premise is that advisors’ implicit theories of ability and interest are reflected in the guidance they provide to students within the context of a particular advising style, which in turn can shape student motivation and persistence in STEM. In addition to generating knowledge to advance our scientific understanding of these important learning processes, the project will identify levers for intervention to increase STEM retention and achievement, especially for students underrepresented in these fields. The purpose of the proposed project is to examine the pathways by which implicit theories and advising styles impact undergraduate STEM student outcomes. To achieve this goal, we propose three aims: 1. Characterize advising styles and implicit theories of ability and interest possessed by professional academic advisors and first- and second-year undergraduate students in biology and psychology at a research-intensive university in the United States. 2. Observe and assess the content of advising meetings by coding on dimensions such as advising style, ability beliefs, and interest beliefs. 3. Examine whether self-reported and observed advising styles and implicit beliefs are significantly associated with student outcomes in five categories: STEM motivation, STEM identity and goals, learning behaviors, degree progress, and academic performance. Intellectual merit. The project is rooted in two foundational theories in psychological science—ecological systems theory and implicit theories. Both theories have long been applied to the study of STEM learning, but not in the academic advising context. Data will also illuminate potential connections between advising and classroom instruction/learning in STEM. Broader impacts. Success in STEM, particularly for students historically underrepresented in these fields, depends on a constellation of factors that work together to support strong academic and career outcomes. However, what happens when there is a disconnect between classroom instruction and advising? Can strong advising buffer the negative impacts of poor instruction? Can weak advising undermine the efforts of an outstanding instructor? Can advising experiences shape how students approach and experience classroom learning and career-building activities? Data from the proposed project will generate initial insights into these questions and lay a strong foundation for larger-scale projects and intervention design for redesigning and reimagining STEM teaching and learning through the lens of academic advising